Dash and Instrument Lights out

[Pirate VI]

I do a little but of tinkering around with electronics, and feel pretty comfortable doing so, and have tinkered around under the 4runner's dash with wiring installing nav, fog lights, ipod player, and another cigarette lighter power port in the center console. I haven't touched any wiring for a few weeks though.
Tonight I got in my car to go to the airport to pick up my roomate, and none of the dash lights or instrument panel lights worked. None of the gauge lights worked, the radio lights didnt work, however it did dim when i turned the headlights on. The little cpu where it tells ac temp and mileage and that stuff is lit when the headlights are off, but turns off when the headlights are turned on. The only lights in the ac controll area are the little arrows that are lit up on the button you have selected. The P,R,D,N and all that in the shifter do not light up either.
I figured it had to be a fuse, and after checking all the fuses that i thought it could be and not finding any blown ones i just checked them all. None are blown.
Does anyone have any idea what my problem may be? I am totally stumped now and starting to get concerned.
Thanks
Ben

 

[tkr128]

I had a similar experience with my 4Runner. I changed out my dome light and then nothing would light up within the car anymore. The MPG/miles to empty/clock display would reset everytime i turned the ignition off. My keyless entry didn't operate either. It turned out the dome fuse under the hood was blown, it's a 10A fuse on my '03.

here's the info from my owner's manual about the fuse:
17. DOME 10 A: Interior light, personal
lights, wireless remote control system,
door courtesy lights, rear seat audio
system, gauge and meter, vanity lights,
instrument panel lights, running board
lights, multiplex communication system

I'm not sure if this will help you out since you already checked the fuses, but if your remote won't lock/unlock anymore and your clock resets to 12:00, you might want to replace the fuse and see if that helps.

 

[Pirate VI]

Thanks, I will check that fuse again, however what really stumps me is that the remote unlock and dome lights and door lights still work, my clock did reset,but that might be just because i checked every fuse. Ill check again today in the light since it was kinda dark last night

Thanks

 

[Pirate VI]

Well I am an IDIOT, after spending so much time checking all the wiring and fuses and relays my dad suggested i check the dimmer dial on the dash. I cant believe I didn't think of that right away. That was the problem, it was turned all the way down. I now feel so stupid, but am happy i don't have a problem with the car, and do not have to bring it in to the dealership.

 

[Mark86]

Well I am an IDIOT, after spending so much time checking all the wiring and fuses and relays my dad suggested i check the dimmer dial on the dash. I cant believe I didn't think of that right away. That was the problem, it was turned all the way down. I now feel so stupid, but am happy i don't have a problem with the car, and do not have to bring it in to the dealership.

That is exactly what I thought was the cause. It is always the easy things that get you!

 

[racefan_67]

...I chuckled while reading your first couple of posts and was ready to reply telling you to check the dimmer dial....same thing happened to me awhile back....ended up that while cleaning my interior during the day I inadvertently dialed it off and that night assumed the worse when nothing lit up....my 8 year old son at the time told me to look at 'the switch that turns everything on and off daddy'....ahh the innocence of a child....lol....

 

[dingo]

That's ok, I did the same exact thing. I freaked out the day I brought home my '05 (in daylight). I was tinkering with the controls and brushed the rheostat all the way down (didn't even notice it was there). When I turned on the lights for the very first time at night everything was dark and I was PISSED. When I finally found the dial, well, my relief turned into a feeling of idiocy (only because my wife laughed her @ss off next to me).

 

[Pirate VI]

...I chuckled while reading your first couple of posts and was ready to reply telling you to check the dimmer dial....same thing happened to me awhile back....ended up that while cleaning my interior during the day I inadvertently dialed it off and that night assumed the worse when nothing lit up....my 8 year old son at the time told me to look at 'the switch that turns everything on and off daddy'....ahh the innocence of a child....lol....

Thats what it was, I was wondering why it was turned all the way down because I don't think that I have ever touched that dial before. I was cleaning the dash the day before.... now i feel even dumber that I didn't think of it.

 

[racefan_67]

....just be thankful it was a quick and easy fix......electrical problems are never fun to diagnose....

 

[Pirate VI]

you are right, i had already spent a few hours checking all my fuses and relays and then began checking all the electrical lines starting with the ones i had put in (auto dimming mirror, nav, ipod, fog lights, etc)

 

[mustangchris66]

Same Thing

I just did the same thing last night. I had just dusted the dash. I got in the truck later that night to see Shreck 3 ? and no lights. I was pissed the whole movie trying to figure it out. I even figured out what to ask here if the search didn't work. Well the search worked and I am sooo happy. I read the 4th post said "O MY GOD" left my desk in my office and fixed the problem!!! I was ready to call the Stealer cuz the thing is 6 months old. Thanks for all the help!!!:bash:

 

[JP4RNR]

Re: Same Thing

I just did the same thing last night. I had just dusted the dash. I got in the truck later that night to see Shreck 3 ? and no lights. I was pissed the whole movie trying to figure it out. I even figured out what to ask here if the search didn't work. Well the search worked and I am sooo happy. I read the 4th post said "O MY GOD" left my desk in my office and fixed the problem!!! I was ready to call the Stealer cuz the thing is 6 months old. Thanks for all the help!!!:bash:

I felt like a DIM-witt when that happened to me

 

[sweaty]

add me to that list of idiots

same things happened today...it was raining, so kinda dark, I pulled into a parking ramp, my headlights switched on, and all my instrument panels went dark! What the??? I recently hardwired a dash camera by tapping into the moon roof motor power line, so I thought what did I mess up? It was turned all the way down by accident when I was wiping the dash.